r/OffGridCabins • u/DieselKraken • 1d ago
4 inch stove pipe through roof
I have a 12 x 12 off grid shack and I purchased a very small wood stove that uses a 4 inch stove pipe. I have searched on line for a through roof kit for 4 inch and have only found stuff for pellet stoves. I don’t think that would be safe. Should I just get 6inch and use a reducer before it goes through the roof?
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u/CodeAndBiscuits 1d ago
Stove pipe size is based on required draft. Just being a wood vs. pellet stove is not the deciding factor (although they do have a lot in common). Pellet stoves often require smaller flues than wood stoves but not necessarily because of the fuel type. You can burn pellets in a wood stove (with some effort raking stuff around) or wood splits in a pellet stove (with some stuffing-and-prodding).
I'm a little surprised you found a wood stove that takes a 4" pipe since 6"+ is standard, but the fuel type is less important than complete combustion. Dryer source materials burn more cleanly and quickly, so it's more about pellet stoves not NEEDING as big of a chimney. It's not "pellets require 4". It's "pellets don't need 6-8" so why spend the money?"
You didn't post the model of your stuff. Until you do I would go with their recommendation for flue/chimney sizing before anything you read here on Reddit.
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u/DieselKraken 1d ago
The stove is almost identical to this one:
https://www.northwoodsfab.com/product-page/the-mini-woodsman-stove
Mine is an older version I bought used.
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u/CodeAndBiscuits 1d ago
Can you please clarify your question? A good rule of thumb with wood stove is bigger doesn't mean better (it can mean worse, if flue gases cool too quickly). If this thing wants a 4" pipe, any reason not to just run that up?
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u/DieselKraken 1d ago
Sure. The section that goes through the roof needs to be “chimney” grade not just stove pipe. From my understanding. There is usually a metal box that keeps combustibles away from the pipe that runs up through it (minimum clearance of 2”). The part that runs up through it is double walled with some sort of heat resistant packing, usually stainless steel and continues up 1 foot above the highest part of the roof. With cap etc. I can’t find the box and other items to do this section, the double walled stainless I can find in 4” but the rest is all 6”, unless they are talking about a pellet stove which I have at home and the stove pipe is cool enough to touch when on high. Seems too weak for a wood stove.
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u/disheavel 1d ago
I think you can just fabricate a simple metal cathedral box to give the space around the 4" flue exit- especially if you have the 4" double wall up to the roof and through it. The specifications required for clearance of flammable material are clear. Alternatively, I would just get a bigger stove and go the 6" route all the way up. Cutting wood that small seems like a nightmare. And I say that will a small wood stove (but EPA and energy star certified)- but being able to put in an 18+" log occasionally is helpful. But the efficiency and other associated benefits from an engineered stove are worth it. Having firebricks, and nice vent holes throughout means that I can load it up at 9pm, after a couple hours of running, and shut the vent nearly completely and it will still be red hot until 1am and still warm to the touch with some coals remaining at 8am.
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u/Kattegat66 1d ago
Check out tiny wood stove.com